Manifolding machine



' March 20, 1934.

F. E. PFEIFFER ET AL MANIFOLDIk, MACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 20, 1934. F. E, PFEIFFER ET AL 1,951,838

MANIFOLDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2/ Filed July 29, 1929 March 20, 1934. I F. E. PFEIFFER El AL 1,951,838

MANIFOLDING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 20, 1934 MANIFOLDING MACHINE Frank E. Pfeifler and William C. Pfeifler, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Egry Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 29, 1929, Serial No. 382,034

21 Claims.

- determined relationship, constructed to effect adjusting of the several sheets to insure proper engagement of the feeding means therewith wherebythe webs are fed in the desired predetermined relationship. The particular object of this invention'is the unwinding of a-supply of paper by using one sheet under tension to efiect the unwinding, suitably: restricted against excessive unwinding by a brake, and the delivery of the sheets in loose, looped condition to a gathering point where they may be delivered as a loose group to the aligning mechanism, which is the subject of co-pending application Ser. No. 381,798, filed July 29, 1929.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and from the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, as embodied in a manifolding machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig; 3 is a sectional View of a portion of the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; f

Fig, 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the transmission gearing of the device;

Fig. 6 isan enlarged sectional view along the line 6--6 of Fig. 2

Fig. ,7 is a plan view of a modified form of stripper mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the modification of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention makes .for especially satisfactory use in connection with manifolding machines, and for purposes of description and as constituting a preferred adaptation and embodiment of the invention, it is herein illustrated and described in connection with a manifolding machine of well known type. The manifolding machine shown is one known as a billing machine, such as is widely used, in which the paper utilizing device ting, movable typewriter, the platen receiving several superimposed webs of paper, or the like arranged as series of connected record blanks, on which the typewriter operates.

As shown the billing or manifolding machine which is of the hat platen type, is designated generally by the numeral 10; while the paper feeding unit is designated generally by the numeral 11. The portion 10 has a movable typewriter 12 which is adapted to travel or be moved toward or from the operator on the rails 13 and over the platen 14. The rails and the platen are supported by a suitable frame or standard 15. As ordinarily used, machines of this type are adapted to simultaneously record an original and a number of duplicate copies of a bill, memorandum or other paper, the paper webs as shown being supplied from a roll 16 arranged conveniently at the rear of the machine. With such machines the paper is sometimes supplied from a plurality of rolls, or from a stack or stacks of connected blanks.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for insuring the proper orderly correlation of the sheets and their proper feeding movement through the machine. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the feeding attachment comprises a frame 18 constructed to be attached to the frame of the billing machine,

the frame of the billing machine unit 10, suitable clamps 19 being provided to firmly connect the two portions together. u As shown these clamps are applied to the rear portions of the guide rails 13 which project a considerable distance to the rear of the platen zone. The frame 18 is provided with roll supporting members 20 which preferably have inclined upper edges which serve as ways up which the rolls of paper may be readily rolled to bring the supporting shaft or spindle 21, for the paper rolls into the supportingcjournal groove 22. This supporting shaft or spindle and the casing in which the paper roll is supported constitute the source of paper webs. When the source of paper webs is mentioned, applicants intend to refer to this paper supporting spindle and the container in which the roll is located. The webs from the roll are extended to pass over suitable rollers and then pass forwardly over the top of the platen 14 with their issuing ends at the front of the paper using machine adjacent the operator. At this end of the machine there is provided a clamp and cutoff mechanism comprising a bar 25 adapted to hold the issuing ends of the webs down against the platen, the front edge of this bar serving as a tear off edge so that the operator may conveniently and rapidly sever the sheets 'or records forms that have been completed. The cut off bar 25 is adapted to be raised to release the issuing ends of the webs by a suitable device such as a foot lever 27 which is connected thereto by suitable linkage so that when the lever 27 is depressed, the cut off bar 25 is raised, and vice versa. A suit--. able spring 29 or the like is provided to return the bar 25 to its holding position on the web when the foot pedal 2'? is released. The holding clips 30 are worked in cooperation with the bar 25, from the pedal through the linkage, to hold the rear portion of the issuing strips in operative, positioning within the work device, and to release the webs when it is desired to effect feeding of the webs. The arrangement is such that the clips do not release the sheets, upon operation of the pedal, until after the clamp bar 25 does, and they regrip the sheets before the clamp bar 25 does. As a result the sheets may be drawn or fed the full required distance over the platen, and drawn and held snug and smooth thereover for the typewriting operation.

The number of interrelated sheets used will of course vary with the requirements of the particular conditions encountered in use, but the drawings illustrate an arrangement whereby seven series of forms contained in a single roll are adapted to be moved forwardly across the platen from the supply source in such manner that webs are fed from the roll through the place of utilization in predetermined amount to provide slackness therein, beyond the zone of such feeding, according to the length of the record sheets. This predetermined feeding having been accomplished the operator may release the web clamping means and then pull the strips forwardly to take up the slack in the webs. The arrangement is such that the amount of slack is controlled to provide *just the extent of the webs which needs to be pulled forwardly at their issuing ends to give the desired amount of advancing of the series of forms with reference to the work device. The cut-01f bar 25 and the clips 30 being then returned to holding position the operator may tear off the completed record sheets, leaving the next succeeding forms held in position to be properly operated upon.

To provide for suitably feeding the papers to the work end, the feeding unit 11 is used. This comprises as an element a motor 3'7, suitably mounted upon the frame 18, the shaft of which is operatively coupled to a drive shaft 40. The drive shaft 40 carries a gear 43 which meshes with an intermediate gear 44, which in turn meshes with a gear 45 on a driven shaft 46. The gear 43 is mounted to be readily removed from the shaft 40 so that it may be replaced by a larger or smaller gear, the size of the gear used being dependent upon the amount of feed desired to be imparted to the paper webs. The intermediate gear 44, is mounted upon a sector 46 which is in turn pivotally carried upon the shaft 46, and is provided with a suitable slot and adjusting screw so that as the size of the gear 43 is varied the intermediate gear 44 may be repositioned to properly mesh therewith. Shaft 46 is provided with a belt driving roll 47 which forms a feeding or drive means for belts 48, each of which belts extends partly around its cooperating roll 4'? and around a second roll 49 provided adjacent the upper portion of the frame. Two of these belts are shown. Preferably the roll 49 is adjustably mounted so that by means of suitable adjusting screws 50 various lengths of belts may be accommodated. Each of these belts carries spaced feeding members orlugs adapted to pick up and engage within correspondingly spaced apertures 56 in the respective coordinated paper webs, and upon feeding movement of the belts to correspondingly feed the various paper webs. As shown the belts have drive holes therein adapted to receive teeth 5'7 on the roll 47 to effect positive drive and locking of the belts. Of course sprockets and chains, or other suitable means, for carrying the feeding lugs may be used in place of these belts. In the form of apparatus shown, the distance between successive web apertures is equal to the length of the record sheets, and the lugs 55 are arranged on the belts so that the distance between adjacent lugs on each belt corresponds with the distance between cooperating apertures 56 in the webs, and the lugs are adapted to move in line with the apertures of the webs during feeding operation, one lug coming into engagement with an aperture before the next preceding lug passes out of engagement with its cooperating aperture. In this manner forward feeding of the webs during linear movement of the lugs is effected. The endless carrier members 48 may be arranged for horizontal movement while carrying the paper, or at an inclination as shown in the drawings as best meets requirements.

For any given installation the belts 48 are arranged for feeding movement, upon actuation, controlled in accordance with the length of the form being .used. Preferably the belts are arranged to be started by manually operated control and automatically stopped after a predetermined feeding movement. As shown an electric motor drive with suitable controls is provided so that the operator may start'the motor to cause the proper feeding movement of the belts through a desired distance after which the belts are stopped and held locked in position, until the succeeding feeding movement. permits the operator to pull the issuing ends of the webs to take up the slack thus provided in the webs, while the web clamping means is loosened or released as described above. The motor 37, and the drive connected therewith, may be provided with any suitable control means for manual starting and automatic stopping. As shown a push bar 60 is placed with one end convenient to the operator, which in turn acts through the lever 61 to closean electric switch for the starting'of the motor. Associated with the switch and the lever 61 is a suitable control and latch mechanism, not shown in detail, which acts, following actuation and release of the bar 60 by the operator, to effect a predetermined rotation of the drive shaft 40, after which the parts are returned to inoperative position ready to repeat the same sequence of movements. And the drive shaft 40 after it has moved, to advance the paper webs from the supply roll 16 towards the platen the required distance, is locked by the control means against further rotation. Control devices for accomplishing such manual starting and automatic stopping and locking of a rotatable roll or shaft are well known in themselves and it is therefore believed the exact construction of the switch, stop and drive mechanism referred to generally and con- This roll 74 is mounted within a pair of slidable or tension links 76 each of which has an elongated slot 77 to receive the shaft of the roll 73 andpermit movement of the links and the roll 74 under the action of the adjustable tension spring 78 which tends to bring the two rolls 73-74 in engagement. The shaft of the roll 74 extends through elongated slots 79 in the frame 18, which the linkswill be moved to separate the rolls 73 and 74. The tension spring 78'urges the links in a direction opposite to the movement caused by the cam 86 and in normal operative position holds the rolls 73 and 74 against each other with properly controlled pressure. One sheet, preferably the outer sheet 90, or web of, paper {from the roll 16, is fed between the rolls 73-74, which are separated by the cam 86 when itis threaded between these rolls. During operation the rolls 13-74, being positively driven in accord with the feeding lugs 55, feed thewebsfrom the roll 16 at the needed rate, thus preventing possibility of tearing of the paper by the feeding lugs. This permits of mounting the roll 16 with suitable frictional or other resistance to its turning to prevent uncontrolled unwinding of the paper webs. Under this arrangement all the webs will have a baggingor loop, as shown,the amount of which will depend upon the manner in which the forms are wound in coordinated relationship on the roll, and passed from the feeding rolls 73-74 to the web feeding lugs. The roll 16 is resisted in its unwinding movement by the roller 18a, which acts as a brake which is pivotally supported on the arm 18b. The sheet 90, after it passes the pulling rolls 73 and 74, is

formed in a loop 90a before it reaches the gathering roller 97 in the same manner that loops are formed in the remaining sheets described herein.

Under the action of the feeding rolls 73-74 the webs, which are designated respectively 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96, travel from the supply roll 16 over the auxiliary guide member 97, where they are again brought together in superimposed relationship toward a series of collating rollers. All of the webs engage the first of these rollers which are designated by the numeral 100, the web 90 separating from the other webs at this point and travelling down around. this roller 100 and under thenext succeeding roller 100, over which the next web 91 passes. The other webs travel in similar manner, each passing down around its own roller and under the next succeeding one so that each web is guided individ-- ually by one of the. rollers 100.

therefore first separated from the other webs and Each web is then brought into superimposed relationship with the previously separated webs toagain stack or arrange them in grouped relationship along the belt 48. The apertures 56 of each of the various webs are therefore engagedby the lugs 55 while'the web is separated from frictional or other impeding association with the other webs so that each web is thus free for such minor movement or adjustment as will cause the lugs to squarely and certainly pick up the web and properly position it upon the feeding lugs in proper adjusted relationship with all the other webs. The rollers 100 are provided with suitable grooves 101 into which the lugs extend as.

they pass beneath the rollers, these grooves per- -mitting the forward movement of the pins so the latter may engage the paper webs beneath the rollers as the pins move by. -The arrangement of the parts shown in Fig. 4 illustrates the apertures of the webs 90 and 91 in engagement with the lugs 55. The apertures in web 92 are about to be engaged by the lugs, and while being thus engaged it will be apparent that this web will be shifted slightly if need be, with relation to the other webs, the low frictional resistance due to the separation of the sheets readily permitting this, so that it may be brought into registration with the lug position in case it is not already in' that relationship. The apertures .properly stacked so as to be in their proper relationship with respect to one another When the operator pulls the papers toward him he is thus assured that the record sheets pulled onto the platen will be properly coordinated.

As ,the papers, properly stacked on the feed belts, travel towards the platen together they are positioned on the lugs 55, from which they need to be removed. As shown in Figs. 3 and 6 theroller 49 over which the webs pass serves to strip thesheets from the lugs and to facilitate their proper feeding into the loop 106. This roller 49 is grooved at 110 to receive belts 48. Above the upper portion of each belt-adjacent this roller is a guide strip 111 which prevents the webs from rising off of the pins until the paper is about to.

engage the roller 49. As the paper rides over this roller the lugs are moved out of theapertures, as the belts are in the grooves while the paper is carried over the roller surface. The lugs therefore cannot tend to carry the webs around the roller. An additional advantage in. this arrangement is the frictional drive which is given to the paper by reason of the surface of the roller 49, this frictional drive tending to push the paper along even after the lugs 55 are entirely freed from the paper aperture. I

The two belts 48-when operatively stretched between the two rolls 47 and 49 provide two -flat surfaces for holding the forwardly feeding pa- 'pers. A space 105 of substantial size is provided between the rear edge of the platen Zone and the upper or forward portion of the belts 48, this space being provided to acconnnodate that slackness in the webs which results from such forward feeding, the webs being permitted tohang in a loop as indicatedat 106 in Fig. 1,-until the issuing ends of the strips arepulled by the operator to withdraw used forms from the machine and properly position fresh sheets or blanks over the platen.

It will now be understood that the operator, after finishing one group of record sheets and desiring to remove them from the series of webs and move a fresh group of blanks into position on the platen first pushes the control 60. The motor 37 is thus caused to operate the feeding mechanism, and the lugs 55 are moved by the belts 48 through a distance previously arranged for and corresponding to the length of the record forms being used. Since the paper holding means within the platen zone is at this time in paper holding position this produces the slackness 106 of the proper amount, corresponding to the length of the record sheets. The work operation having been finished, the operator then depresses the treadle 27 to release the completed forms and pulls forwardly on the issuing ends of the webs to completely take up this slack. Since the belts 48 and feeding lugs 55 cannot move at this time, as they are definitely held by the lock mechanism provided as part of the motor control mechanism, when the slack is all taken up the paper web can be pulled no further and will then have been advanced over the platen the proper distance for the length of a blank or record being used. On release of the treadle the cutoff bar 25 then returns to its operative or holding position with its edge positioned for severing the completed forms.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a different form of stripper mechanism. In this modification the upper roller 49' is provided with grooves 110, but these grooves are only sufficiently deep to serve to receive and guide the belts 48; the diameter of the roll 49 in general being substantially uniform throughout. To effectively strip the paper webs from the lugs 55 a stripper plate 113 is provided, which as shown has a portion projected backwardly between the two belts, and beneath the belts. When the paper webs are threaded through the machine, the forward ends will thus ride forwardly over the rear portion of the stripper plate, which is so proportioned and positioned as shown in Fig. 8 that the paper webs will be completely lifted from the lugs before these lugs start their reverse movement around the upper roller 49 in connection with'the rearward travel of the lower part of the belts. As shown this stripper plate is of light metal and has its lower end 114 bent around a supporting bar 1 12 which 1 bination with a work device and. a source of paper webs to be fed in coordinatedrelationship to the work device; means for feeding said webs from said source to said work device, and means engaging only one web associated'with said source, in advance of said feeding means, for advancing the. said webs to be readily drawn forward by said feeding means, said advancing means comprising a plurality of driven advancing rolls, and

means for holding said advancing rolls under controlled feeding tension.

3. In a device of the class described'in combination with a work device and a source of paper webs to be fed in coordinated relationship to the work device; means for feeding said webs from said source to said work device, means associated with said source, in advance of said feeding means, for advancing the said webs to be readily drawn forward by said feeding means, said advancing means comprising a plurality of driven advancing rolls, means for holding said advancing rolls under controlled feeding tension, and means for separating the said advancing rolls to permit threading the paper web therebetween.

4. In a paper supply machine, supporting means, a roll of superimposed sheets supporting the ends of the sheets as they come from the roll, means engaging one of said sheets midway between the roll and supporting means for applying tension thereto to cause the roll to unroll, while the remainder of the sheets are permitted to freely pass between the roll and supporting means, and means of forming the loop between the supporting means and said tension means of the sheet engaged thereby, whereby all sheets will be delivered to the supporting means without tension.

- 5. In a paper delivery machine, a roll of superimposed sheets, a braking roll engaging the periphery thereof, means engaging one sheet to unroll the roll by pulling one sheetthereof, means for supporting the free ends of said sheets so that loose loops in said sheets will be formed between the roll and the supporting means and besaid sheets, gathering means, means engaging one sheet for applying tension to one of said sheets to unroll the roll, means of gathering said sheets to form a loop between the tension means and the gathering means and between the gathering means and the roll, and means of collating said sheets while they are in their looped loose condition by independently aligning said sheets successively of one another into superimposed aligned condition.

7. In a collating machine, means for delivering a plurality of superimposed sheets without being under tension comprising a roll supply of said sheets, means for engaging and applying tension to one of said sheets to unroll the roll, means of gathering said sheets to form a loop between the tension means and the gathering means and between the gathering means' and the roll, and means of collating said sheets while they are in their looped loose condition by independently aligning said sheets successively of one another into superimposed aligned condition, and means of delivering said sheets in superimposed aligned condition into a loop of predetermined length.

8. In a collating machine, means for delivering a plurality of superimposed sheets without being under tension comprising a roll supply of said sheets, means for engaging and applying tension to one of said sheets to unroll the roll, means of athering said sheets to form a loop between the tension means and the gathering means and between the gathering means and the roll, and means of collating said sheets while they are in their looped loose condition by independently aligning said sheets successively of one another into superimposed aligned condition, meansof delivering said sheets in superimposed aligned condition into a loop of predetermined length,

their looped loose condition by independently aligning said sheets successively of one another into superimposed aligned condition, and means of delivering said sheets in superimposed aligned condition. into a loop of predetermined length,

' and means of synchronously moving the unrollingmeans and the collating means through a given cycle of operations, and means of taking up said loop to deliver an equivalent length of sheets as a group.

10. In a collating machine,'a roll of superimposed sheets, a brake for said roll, means of engaging and applying tension to one of said sheets to unwind the roll, a gathering means for gathering said sheets in loose condition with loop formed between the gathering means and the tension means, between the gathering means and the roll, means of delivering said sheets one by one for collating, and a collating means for independently successively moving said sheets to alignment in a second superimposed aligned group.

11. In a method of paper delivery, unrolling a plurality of paper sheets by pulling one of said sheets, delivering the remainder of the sheets in looped condition without tension, removing the tension from the unrolling sheet, gathering said sheets in a superimposed group without tension, and separating said sheets in loose condition, one by one, aligning them.

12. In a method of paper delivery, unrolling a plurality of paper sheets by pulling one of said sheets, delivering the remainder of the sheets in looped condition without tension, removing the tension from the unrolling sheet, gathering said sheets in a superimposed group withouttension,

separating said sheets in loose condition, one by one, aligning them, and superimposing again said sheets in aligned condition after alignment one by one.

13. In a method of paper delivery, unrolling a plurality of paper sheets by pulling one of'said sheets, delivering the remainder of the sheets in looped condition without tension, removing the tension from the unrolling sheet, gathering'said sheets in a superimposed group without tension,

separating said sheets in loose condition, one by one, aligning them, superimposing again said sheets in aligned condition after alignment one by one, and effecting said alignment, not only one by one of saidsheets, but successively at different points in the length of the group of said sheets.

14.. In combination, means for unrolling a plurality of sheets by engaging and pulling one of said sheets, means of delivering all of said sheets in loose condition in a superimposed pack,

and meansof removing said sheets one by one from said pack and independently successively aligning said sheets;

15. In combination, means for unrolling a plurality of sheets by engagingand pulling one of said sheets, means of delivering all of said sheets in loose condition in a superimposed pack, means of removing said sheets one by one from said pack and independently successively aligning said sheets, and means of assembling said sheets in'superimposed aligned condition.

16, In combination, means for unrolling a plurality of sheets by pulling one of said sheets,

means of delivering all of said sheets in loose condition in a superimposed pack, means of removing said sheets one by one from said pack and independently successively aligning said sheets, means of assembling said sheets in superimposed aligned condition, and-means of delivering said sheets in aligned superimposed condition into a supply loop) 17. In combination, means for unrolling a plurality of sheets by pulling one of said sheets,

means of delivering all of said sheets in loose condition in a superimposed pack, means of removingsaid sheets one by one from said pack and independently successively aligning said sheets, means of assembling said sheets in super-' imposed aligned condition, means of delivering H said sheets in aligned superimposed condition into a supply loop, and means of moving said supply loop as a unit over a writing table for a new writing operation without placing the re- -mainder of the sheets under tension.

18. In a collating machine, means for delivering a plurality of superimposed sheets without being under tension, comprising a sheet roll supply holder, means adapted for engaging and applying tension to one of the sheets to unroll the roll, means adapted to gather the sheets to form -a loop between the gathering means and the roll, means for collating'the sheets and to independently align the sheets successively of one another into superposed aligned condition, said collating means consisting of a plurality of roll- "ers, a belt located beneath said rollers, and pins projecting upwardly ,from said belt adapted to engage each sheet as it is fedseparately between said rollers, and means cooperating with said collating means adapted to form a loop of predeter-' mined length.

19. In a collating machine, means for delivering a-plurality of superimposed sheets without being under tension, comprising a sheet roll supply holder, means adapted for engaging and applying tension to one of thesheets to unroll the roll, means adapted to gather the sheets to form a loop between the gathering means and the roll, means for collating the sheets and to independently align the sheets successively of one another into superposed aligned condition, 7 said collating means consisting of a series of rollers, a belt located beneath the rollers, the first of said rollers being adapted to engage all the sheets and each succeeding roller being adapted to engage a decreased number of sheets upon its upper portion and an increased number of sheets upon its lower portion, and means cooperating with said collating means adapted to forma loop of predetermined length.

20. In a collating machine, means for delivering a plurality of superimposed sheets without being under tension, comprising a sheet roll supply holder, means adapted for engaging and applying tension to one of the sheets to unroll the roll, means adapted to gather the sheets to form a loop between the gathering means and the roll, and means for collating the sheets and to independently align the sheets successively of one another into superposed aligned condition, said collating means consisting of a plurality of rollers, a belt located beneath said rollers, and pins projecting upwardly from said belt adapted to engage each sheet as it is fed separately between said rollers.

21. In' a device of the class described, in combination with a work device and a support roll for a supply of webs to be fed in coordinated relationship to the work device, means adapted for feeding said webs from said source to said work device, and positively driven means adapted to engage a single web only in advance of said feeding means for advancing the webs and enablingthe webs to be readily drawn forward by said feeding means.

FRANK E. PFEIFFER. WILLIAM C. PFEIE'FER. 

